Woman calls for more breast cancer testing

Rhakima Kahn was diagnosed with breast cancer at 34

A woman who had a mastectomy from breast cancer is calling for Black and Asian women to get themselves checked and to speak up about their health.

Rhakima Kahn, a senior healthcare support worker, was 34 when she found a lump near her sternum and was diagnosed at the Bristol Breast Care Centre at Southmead Hospital.

The now 38-year-old, who lives in Emersons Green in Bristol, said: "When they told me, you have breast cancer, I actually started laughing."

Three years later, she is trying to get people from global majority backgrounds to be more aware of the symptoms saying they are often "bought up not to show weakness".

Ms Kahn said: "As a black woman, we are not allowed to be ill. We are brought up not to show weakness and it is something we pass down to our daughters.

"I don't want my daughter to grow up and feel she, as a black woman, cannot speak about her health.

"It puts us at a huge disadvantage, because not only are we less likely to check our breasts when we get older, we also are more likely to wait longer to speak to a doctor about our symptoms."

Ms Kahn was told she would need a lumpectomy but insisted on a mastectomy where the whole breast is removed.

Ms Kahn is encouraging women of colour to get tested for breast cancer

Following her operation, Ms Kahn had six rounds of chemotherapy and five rounds of radiotherapy to eradicate the cancer.

Michelle Mullan, the clinical lead for breast services at North Bristol Trust, said: "It is important for all women to regularly check their breasts for changes and seek medical advice if there is something that does not seem quite right."

Ms Kahn added: "One of things black women always tell me is that they don't go to the GP because they are often dismissed, and they feel that they are not heard based on the colour of their skin.

"I need people to understand what stops black women from going to get tested."